Jr. Consumer Education Specialist

Role Responsibilities

The Utilities Consumer Advocate (UCA) is dedicated to educating, advocating, and mediating on behalf of Alberta’s residential, farm, and small business consumers. Reporting to the Manager, Consumer Education and Awareness, the Jr. Consumer Education and Engagement Specialist will support the Utilities Consumer Advocate through effective education and public engagement practices. The position will ensure the Utilities Consumer Advocate’s education and outreach activities engage Alberta’s utility consumers, including target audiences and associated stakeholder organizations. The work of the position equips consumers to make informed decisions and positions the Utilities Consumer Advocate as a trusted source of support and unbiased information.

The position is also responsible for:

1. Public Education, Outreach & Engagement

• Develop, deliver, and continually improve public education and engagement activities that align with the UCA’s Consumer Education and Awareness Program.
• Research, identify, and pursue outreach opportunities with community groups, municipalities, Indigenous communities, industry stakeholders, and consumer organizations across Alberta.
• Build and maintain positive, respectful relationships with a diverse range of internal and external partners, applying strong interpersonal and stakeholder‑management skills.
• Create and deliver engaging presentations, workshops, and webinars using tools such as PowerPoint and other presentation software.
• Ensure all educational products meet UCA visual identity, Government of Alberta branding, and communications standards.
• Research innovative presentation methods and engagement tools and integrate them into programming.
• Collaborate closely with Communications, other Ministry divisions, and Government of Alberta partners to ensure alignment with policy direction and identify opportunities for joint engagement.
• Monitor, measure, and report on program outcomes; adjust strategies based on data, feedback, and emerging trends.

2. Consumer Support & Frontline Interaction

• Respond directly to consumers across the province, providing clear, accurate information on Alberta’s electricity and natural gas markets, retailers, contracts, billing, and consumer rights.
• Apply strong problem‑solving and customer‑service skills to help consumers understand and navigate complex issues.
• Use acquired knowledge, UCA databases, and website tools to assess questions and provide appropriate responses.
• Guide consumers through choices related to retailers, regulated services, and available contracts.
• Provide referrals to other government departments or external agencies when inquiries fall outside UCA’s mandate.
• Assist consumers in navigating the ucahelps.alberta.ca website.
• Identify and analyze trends and frequently asked questions to highlight areas of public concern and inform UCA program and regulatory work.

Role Responsibilities (Cont'd)

3. Stakeholder Relations & Cross‑Government Collaboration

• Build connections within government, community organizations, utilities providers, and external agencies to support shared education and outreach goals.
• Gather insights during public interactions to support UCA’s regulatory proceedings and consumer‑impact assessments.
• Provide recommendations to the Manager on potential improvements to policies, procedures, and engagement approaches.

4. Program Development, Content Creation & Reporting

• Support the development of educational programs, publications, web materials, and other resources that empower consumers to make informed decisions.
• Apply strong writing, editing, proofreading, and research skills to create high‑quality materials.
• Write reports, summaries, and engagement plans to support program development.
• Maintain a strong, current knowledge base of utility industry policies, practices, regulatory changes, and consumer issues.

5. Operational & Field Requirements

• Represent the UCA at trade shows, community events, conferences, and outreach activities.
• Work independently for extended periods while managing multiple deadlines and shifting priorities.
• Adapt to schedule changes on short notice; work evenings, weekends, overtime, and travel throughout Alberta as required (including multi‑day trips up to four days).

Please click on this link to view the job description for this position.

APS Competencies

Competencies are behaviors that are essential to reach our goals in serving Albertans. We encourage you to have an in depth understanding of the competencies that are required for this opportunity and to be prepared to demonstrate them during the recruitment process.

This link will assist you with understanding competencies:

https://www.alberta.ca/system/files/custom_downloaded_images/psc-alberta-public-service-competency-model.pdf.

Creative Problem Solving: The energy industry can change quickly and in response to media and public influence. The agent must have the ability to respond to in new ways to a variety of questions and consumer types.

Systems Thinking: Consumers may be confused or angry about how the system works. Staff needs to be able to explain how the different parts of government work together to form answers. They also need to know where to redirect people within government for concerns outside of the department mandate.

Drive for Results: Constantly striving to have positive outcomes, even in challenging scenarios, so the majority of Albertans will continue to utilize the UCA services.

Agility: Position duties will vary often. Some periods will be strictly office based while others will require extensive travel. Ability to adapt between job duties and manage fluctuating workloads is required for successful position management.

Qualifications

University graduation in a related field (Education, Communications, Commerce/Marketing); with no experience.

Directly related education or experience considered on the basis of: 

• 1 year of education for 1 year of experience; or
• 1 year of experience for 1 year of education.

Required experience:

• Experience developing and delivering presentations, workshops and webinars.
• Experience managing tight timelines and multiple requests, balancing individual contributions with content best-practices, and with brand and messaging consistency.
• Experience interacting with a variety of stakeholders representing diverse interests and perspectives.

The following assets will be considered:

• Knowledge of how Alberta's utilities system works.
• Experience developing public education and engagement materials, including report writing.

Other Requirements:

• Must be available for travel and able to work evenings and weekends.
• Must have a valid driver’s license.
• Required to transport boxes of materials and presentation supplies.

Minimum recruitment standards outline the minimum education and experience required for appointment to a job classification. 

Refer to https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-public-service-minimum-recruitment-standards.

Notes

Hours of Work:

• 8:15 am to 4:30 pm.
• 36.25 hours per week (full-time) Monday to Friday.

Term of Employment:

• Temporary (March 2027).

Location:

• Edmonton.

Requirements:

• Class 5 Driver's License is required.
• Must be able to work evenings and weekends.
• Be able to work independently and alone for long periods of time and extended periods of standing and lifting up to 30 lbs are required.

In your resume, please include dates (including months and years) associated with all education and work experience. For example, January 2006 – June 2009 (part-time). This example is provided for illustrative purposes only. Applicants are encouraged to present their information clearly and thoroughly, using a format that best conveys their experience.

Any costs associated with obtaining the required documents/checks as noted or interview travel expenses, will be the responsibility of the candidate. Out-of-province applicants can obtain the required documents/checks from the province they currently reside in.

Links and information on what the GoA have to offer to prospective employees:

• Working for the Alberta Public Service - https://www.alberta.ca/advantages-working-for-alberta-public-service.aspx.
• Public Service Pension Plan (PSPP) - https://www.pspp.ca.
• Alberta Public Service Benefit Information - https://www.alberta.ca/alberta-public-service-benefits.
• Professional learning and development - https://www.alberta.ca/professional-development-support-directive.
• Research Alberta Public Service Careers tool – https://researchapscareers.alberta.ca.
• Positive workplace culture and work-life balance.
• Leadership and mentorship programs.